Millions of dollars can’t make her smile

Smile and the world smiles back at you, frown and the world will adore you — you can even become a multimillionaire.

Well, at least that’s the experience of what has been described as the world’s crankiest cat.

Grumpy Cat, whose real name is Tardar Sauce, shot to fame two years ago when a video of her was uploaded on YouTube and received 15.7 million views.

Since then, she has made countless media appearances, been featured in television commercials and print ads, on mugs, calendars and other gift items, and even has a best-selling book (a guide to attaining “true grumpiness”) in 15 languages.

To-date, the internet sensation has 521,000 followers on Instagram and 255,000 on Twitter.

She’s also now a Hollywood star. Her movie debut, Grumpy Cat’s Worst Christmas Ever, was a big draw at the box office, attracting millions of viewers.

Grumpy is said to have raked in US$100 million, Express reports. That’s more than the income of movie idols Nicole Kidman, Cameron Diaz and Matthew McConaughey, according to MailOnline.

Her 28-year-old owner, Tabatha Bundesen of Morristown, Arizona, disputes that figure. But she does consider her cat’s phenomenal success “unimaginable and absolutely mind-blowing”.

“I was able to quit my job as a waitress within days of her first appearance on social media and the phone simply hasn’t stopped ringing since,” she tells Express.

What makes her sensational? “People take one look at her and fall in love, even if they actually think she’s pug ugly,” Bundesen notes.

For all her good fortune, Grumpy can’t take the scowl off her face. The mixed-breed feline was born with dwarfism and an underbite, giving her a permanent look of displeasure.

Here’s the original YouTube video that launched Grumpy to internet stardom:

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